Control mechanism for commercial laundry washing machines



Aug. 8, 1944.- S. M. HOVEY CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY WASHING MACHINES Filed Sept. 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR SEWALL M. Hows) BY "1" 1L! ATTORNEY Aug. 8, 1944.

s. M. H'OVEY C O NTROL MECHANISM FOR COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY WASHING MACHINES Filed Sept. 13, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR SEWALL M. H0vY BY m iawm ATTORNEYS- S. M. HOVEY CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY WASHING MACHINES Aug. 1944.

Filed Sept. 13, 1941 4 Shets-Sheet 5 IINVENTOR SEWALL M. HOVEY BY ,W H

ATTORNEY5 Aug. 8, 1944, s. M'.HOVEY 2,355,162

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY WASHING MACHINES Filed Sept. 13, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q I 1 I NW N I N ,"Q d] rl I -G INVENTOR 4 ATTORNEYS- Patented Aug. '8, 1944 UNl'liilD STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR comm-mom LAUNDRY WASHING-MACHINES Sewall M. Hovey,.White Plains, N. Y. Application September 13, 1941, Serial No. 410,682 Claims. (Cl. 68-12) My present invention relates to the automatic control of commercial laundrymachinery and comprises mechanism for this purpose that may be readily installed and easily operated and that is, adapted for use in the practice of any desired formula.

A feature of the invention is the easewith which the new control means may be applied to existing commercial washing machines without thereby reducing the cost of manufacture and.

facilitating the installation of the control system. A further feature of the invention is novel water level control means which permits the automatic control of the water to different levels dependingupon the particular step of the formula being practiced.

Other features of the invention, including the ease of change over 'from automatic to-manual control will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view of a laundry machine an of my control system therefor, showing the location of the controller and the control of the water and dump valves;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the machine of Fig. 1, showing the control means and connections for the supplies, such' as soap,"bluing, etc.;' I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view illustrating th control of the water valves and the latch for changing from manual to automatic control;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view, partly diagrammatic, through the control mechanism, showing one controller disk and the cooperating Fig. 5 is a sectional-view, taken at right angles In applying the new control are connected the branch pipes 14 and I6. Pipe l4 connects with the hot water supply and is provided with the usual water .valve' l8 having the handle I! for manual operation thereof and pipe 16 connects with'the cold water supply and has the usual water valve 20 therein having the handle 2! for manual operation thereof.

Vaives l8 and 20 are any standard time manifold valves which, during manual operation of the. tube 2 are automatically closed when the water level in the tub reaches a predetermined level. As shown inFigs. 1 and 3, the valves l8 and 20 have been shown as of the type wherein pawls 22 engaging ratchets 24 on the operating handles hold the valves in open position until the water level in the tub reaches a level corresponding to the setting of a gauge rod stop 26 on the usual gauge rod 28. At thislevel, engagement of the gauge rod collar 30, operated by the gauge, stem 32, with the gauge rod stop 26 lifts the gauge rod 28 and thereby rotates a shaft 34 through a counterweighted lever 38 linked to the gauge rod- 20. Cams 38 on shaft 34, operating through triggers 4B rotate the pawls 22 to inoperative position upon rotation'of shaft 34 and thus permit the valves l8 and 20 to close by gravity.

system to the above described standard type of water valves, a latch 42, pivotally mounted on a shaft 44, is provided for engagement with the weighted end of lever 38, to hold the same inrotated position with pawls 22 out of engagement with ratchets 24,

The pressure cylinder connected with the hot water valve l8 isjidentified i nFigs. 1 and 2 by C5 and that connected" with the 'coldwater valve 20 to Fig. 4 and on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and showing the mounting and assembly of the control disks; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical controlling circuit and the water level revalve 6 and operating foot pedal 8 therefor, wa-

ter level tank 10 and drive motor M. Water is by Ca. Cylinders Cs and Cs may be of any standard type, as for example; one in which a piston is raised by air pressure and lowered when the supply of air is cut off, a suitable-vent permitting a spring to return the piston to lowered position;

' Air from the compressed air pipe50 to cylinders ipe 50 to a Cs and Co together with air from similar cylinder C: for operating th dump valve 6 is controlled by solenoid valves B5, B6 and B: respectively (see Fig. 2), the electrical circuits for which are controlled 'by the operation of a program controller shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and heresupplied to the tub 2 through conduit 12 to which to inafter to be described. I

7 The program controller controls in addition to the water, the supply of other materials such as soap, blue, sour and bleach to the tub. The connections for the delivery of these materials will now be described in connection with Fig. 2. Four tanks 52, 54, 55 and 58 for the soap, bleach, blue and sour solutions respectively are carried by a framework adjacent one end of the tub 2 and carry predetermined amounts of these materials. The tanks are removable for cleaning. Soap tank 52 is ofsteel and tanks 54, 58 and 58 are of hard rubber to prevent corrosion. Soap tank 52 has two steam syphons 80 and BI, the suction lines being of different length and cor-' responding to the second and third additions of soap in the washing formula hereinafter discussed. The syphons 60 and GI convey the soap solutions through an iron pipe 82 to the-water main I2 near the tub; suitable check valves 64 being provided to prevent solution and water from flowing back into the tanks. Steam syphon 66 conveys the blue solution from tank through a copper tube 88. The syphons 8 0, lilfiand 88 are all near the top of the tanks and 56 to permit any solution to drain back in the tank and thus avoid solidification in the syphon. Steam from steam pipe I is admitted to the syphons 60, BI and 68 by solenoid valves B1, Ba and B1 respectively under control of the program controller. Y

Steam syphon I2 for the bleach and steam syphon I4 for the sour are located near the entrance to the tub, so that c'orrosionis reduced to a minimum by the flushing action of the water. The suction lines I3 and I5 for the bleach and sour,

' respectively, are of acid-resisting hose and check valves I6 therein adjacent the syphons prevent.

back fiowto the tanks. Steam from pipe I0 is ad-- mitted to the syphons I2 and I4 by solenoid valves Y B9 and B11, respectively, in branch steam pipes II under-control of the program controller.

Solenoid valves B2, B5, Bs, B1, Ba and Bio are ordinarily housed within the casing 'I'I above the various tanks, but for convenience of illustration and inorder to show the connections for steam and compressed air, these valves in Fig. 2 have been diagrammatically illustrated as located outside of the, casing. The same is true of a pressure cylinder I40 which operates to open the circuit of the program motor when either water valve is opened, as hereinafter described in connection with Fig. 6.

The program controller is mounted on the framework carrying the various tanks and comprises a plurality of notched disks I8 of which one is shown in Fig. 4. The disks I8 cooperate with mercury switches which are mounted above the disk assembly and housed within a casing 80 (Fig. 1), each disk I8 having 'one switch asso-- ciated therewith. In Figs. 4 and 5 the mercury switches are indicated by the letter A, whereas 82 has an index arm 90 fixedly mounted thereon. A pin 9| carried by the arm 90 couples the arm to the index disk 86 by passage with one of the holes 81 of the disk, thus driving the disk assembly from shaft 88.' Shaft 88, which is journaled in suitable bearings 92 is driven through suitable gear reduction 93 from the program motor 94. The front bearing 92 is mounted in a bracket .96 secured to the housing 98 of the disk assembly by thumb screws 99. Thus by removal of bracket 96 and of index arm 90, the disk assembly can-be readily removed from the housing 98 (or rotated independently of the motor). The mercury switches controlled by the disks I8 are mounted on fingers I00 which are pivotally mounted on a rod IOI carried by the housing. The fingers I00 ride on the periphery of the-disks I8 and drop by gravity into notches I02 therein. Switches A2, tOAu, inclusive (Fig. 6), are normally opened and closed when the associated finger I00 drops into a notch I02. Such switches are exemplified by switch -A of Fig. 4. Switches A1, A12 and A13 are normally closed and opened when the associated finger I00 drops into a notch I02., These normally closed switches are exemplified by switch Arshown in Fig. 4a..

In order that the disk assembly may be turned in the reverse direction for initiation of a program, or may be. removed from the housing, means are provided for holding all of the fingers I00 out of the notches I02. These means comprise a rod I04 which is mounted for rotation in the housing and operated by a handle I05, and a second rod I0'I linked by yokes I06 to the rod I04. When rod I04 is rotated by the handle I05, rod I0I is moved into the dotted line position of Fig. 4 to engage'the ends of all of fingers andcold water valves, the closure thereof in response to the water level, and the supply of materials to the tub. As any disk I8 may be readily removed and another substituted therefor, it will be apparent that the mechanism lends itself to any particular formula.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated provision is made for controlling in the circuit diagram, Fig. 6, the switches are diagrammatically indicated and identified separately by A1 to A1: inclusive. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the various disks I8 are mounted on a hollow shaft 82 and are spaced apart thereon by collars 83. Thedisks I8 and collars 83 are clamped together on the shaft inv any suitable manner so as to rotate as a unit. As shown in Fig. 5 one end collar 88 is welded to the shaft at 84, and the other end of the shaft is threaded anda clamping -nut 85 screwed thereon. An index disk 86, containing a plurality..- of index holes 81. is mounted on one end or the'hollow shaft. A solid shaft 80 passing through the hollow shaft the water to two difierent levels according to the particularstep of the formula being practiced. This, is ordinarily sufiicient but obviously addi- 'tional levels could be obtained if desired. The

water level responsive means comprise a pair of rods I08 and H0 (Figs. 1 and 6) which are supported from a chain III which passes over suitable pulleys and is connected to the gauge collar 30. Thus as the water level increases the rods I08 and H0 descend. Rod I08 carries two stops or collars I I2 and I I3 which are adjustable on the rod and which during travel of rod I08 engage a finger II4 on a tiltable switch device II6. Rod I I0 likewise carries two adjustable stops or collars H8 and H9 which engage a finger I20 on a tiltable switch device I22. These switch devices I I6 and I22 are similar and control low and high water levels respectively. Each comprises a mercury switch. I24 and a hollow cylinder I26 pivoted together with the associated finger H4 or I20 on a shaft I28. A steel ball I30 in eachcylinder I25 insures that the switch device will stay in the position to which tilted by the stops on the water level rods. In the positions shown inFig. 6 both mercury switches I24 are closed. Thus, when the tub 2 is substantially empty, rods I03 and I I.

are in their uppermost position, at which time 5 collar 2 onrod I08 engages finger II4 to close swich device H8 and collar II8 engages finger I to close switch device I22. As the tub 2 fills,

. these switches remain closed until collar II3. en-

gages finger II4'to open switch H8 at one water lo level. At the higher level for which collar H3. is adjusted, that collar engages finger I20 and opens switch I22; these switches then remaining open until the tub is emptied.

The circuits of the program motor "and of the solenoid valves B2, B5, B0 to Bil and the cohtrol thereof by the mercury switches A1 to An and by the water level switch devices H6 and I22 will be apparent from Fig. 6 to which reference should now be had. Thepower lines for the. control motor and for the various solenoid valves are indicated by Li, In. Line L1 is connected I32 which in turn connects through conductor I34, normally closed mercury switch A1: and conductor I38 with one side of the program motor 94. Line Lu is'connected Wlfih the other side of theprogram motor 94. A switch I38 controlled by the pressure cylinder I40 is inserted in line- I to open the circuit of motor 34 whenever air is delivered to cylinder I40. Cylinder I40, as shown in Fig. 2, is connected so as to'be supplied with air under pressure whenever air is delivered to either of cylinders B5 and Be controlling the hot and cold water valves respectively. Check valves I42 in the air lines leading to cylinder I prevent back flow of air and a vent I43 in the cylinder insures closing of switch I38 when the air is I cut off by solenoid valves 35 or Be. This switch associated mercury switches Av, As, etc., therefor.

Switch A12 is connected-in the circuit of the main drive motor M; of the. laundry machine and operates to open the-circuit thereof upon completion of the formula. Switch A1: similarly opens the circuit of the program motor 94. I

Due to the variation in quantity and condition of clothes to be washed in any oneload it is desirable to be able to manually regulate the quantity of soap, the ,water level and the temperature of the first suds. For this purpose the switch 81 which directly connects soap selenoid valve Ba across the power lines is provided. With this arrangement afterthe clothes are inspected and put into the tub 2 through door 4, and the main motor is started, thehot and cold water valves are manually operated by handles I9 and 2I while latch 42 is moved to the inoperative position of Fig. 3. Switch 51 is manually closed and opened when the desired quantity of soap has been supplied. When the water level corresponding to the setting of thegauge stop 28 has been reached, the water valves close in-the usual manner.

After this initial semi-manual operation is finished, latch 42 is moved to the dotted line position of Fig. 3, and switch S2 is closed to energize the programmotor 84 and start the rotation of the control disks I8. Light P lights to indicate automatic operation in force.

With the automatic operation, when the first suds is completed, valve A: closes, due tothe falling of the finger thereof into a notch on the t'rol disks and circuits for solenoids B5, B5 and B1 delivery of water or supplies to the tub. For this purpose it is connected in series with each of the other controls as follows: It is connected in series with the hot water control mercury switch A5 and solenoid valve Ba through low water level switch II6. .It is also connected to As and Ba through high water level I24'and mercury switch A. Thus if the formula calls for the higher level, switch A4 will be closed by the finger thereof dropping into a notch on the control disk I3 thereof and switch. IIQ will be by-passed so that the water valve is held open until they level is reached for which collar I I3 on'rod. I I0 has been set. Delay switch A: is similarly connected through the water level controls with cold water control mercury switch As and solenoid valve Be. It is connected directly in series, independently of the water level controls, with each of the supply stoppd due to the openin are then closed as soon as delay switch A; closes the circuit for Ba and Be being closed through.

" consequently switch *Avhas closed, until switch Upon opening of the circuit of sole- I22 opens. noids B5 and Be by the water level control, the circuit for motor 94 is again closed and rotation of the disks continued. After the desired interval of time, say seven minutes, valves A: and A1" As, As and As; the motor .94 again shutting off during filling of the tub. The operation then continues in accordacne with the formula the blue, sour, bleach, hot and cold rinses, all being introduced in response to the opening and closing of the mercury switches A under the control of the disks I3. At the completion of the formula switches A12 and A13 open, opening the circuits of the main and control motors respectively.

The rateof rotation of the disk assembly is such that the formula is completed in lessthan one complete revolution. When the motor stops with the completion of the formula, lever Illon the front of the disk assembly is turned to hold .,I

- control solenoids Ba, Ba, 30,310 and Bu and the '7 By providing the face of the index disk 34 with suitable indicia, the'stage of the formula may be readily noted at any time, or the formula may be started at any desired step thereof.

When it is desired to change from automati to manual control it is only necessary to release the pawls 22 by means of latch 42 and to stop the control motor 94 by means of switch S2.

The new control system has now been described in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof. As heretofore indicated such preferred embodiment includes means for semi-manual control of the first suds. Obviously, however, if the flexibility of control so provided is not desired, the apparatus could be arranged for complete automatic control of the whole formula. If but one water level is desired throughout the program, .the by-passcircuit about switch H6, comprising switches I22 and A4, could be omitted, together with rod llli and the parts carried thereby. On the other hand, if more than two different levels, say three, are desired during a program it is only necessary to provide a second and similar by-pass about switch. 6, together. with a third water level responsive rod controlling well as the controlling solenoid valves B2, B5 to B11, inclusive, may be standard commercial elements, the apparatus may be readily and simply installed. By attaching the water level control means directly through the chain H2 to the standard gauge rod collar, the automatic control of the water level may be added directly to the usual control without interference therewith or change'thereof.

The construction of the disk assembly with the readily removable separate notched disks permits a quick change of set-up for different formulas either in whole or in part or the omission or addition of steps thereto. By providing the pressure valve I40 for opening the control circuit during filling of the tub, assurance is had that variation in water pressure in the mains will not affect formula periods and that timing of formula periods will be based on full tub conditions.

The following is claimed:

1. The combination with a laundry machine having hot and cold water valves of an electrically driven program device, an electrical circuit therefor, a switch in said circuit, a plurality of switches controlled by said program device, fluid operated means for operating said hot water valve, fluid a plurality or switches controlled thereby, fluid operated means for operating'said water and dump valves and said delivery means, electrically operated valves controlling said fluid operated means, and electrical circuits for said electrically operated valves, said circuits including said switches whereby operation'of. said program device, through said switches, electrically operated valves and fluid operated means, controls said common horizontal ,axis, said switches comprising tiltable devices mounted above said disks and provided with fingers engaging the peripheries of the.

disks so as to be tilted when the fingers enter said notches and manual means for simultaneously disengaging said tiltable devices from said disks to permit counterrotation of said disks to program initiation position.

;3'. The combination with a laundry machine having hot and cold water valves of an electrically driven program device, fluid operated means for opening each of said valves, a solenoid valve controlling the supply of fluid to one of said means, a second solenoid valve controlling the supply of fluid to the other'of said means, means responsive to the level of the water in the laundry machine, circuits for' said solenoid valves,

switches in said circuits controlled by said pro- 4 gram device, and a switch in said circuits controlled by said water level responsive means, a circuit bypassing said last mentioned switch, a second means responsive to the level of thewater in the laundry machine, a switch in said bypassing circuit controlled by said second water level responsive means, and a second switch-in said by-Dassing circuit controlled by said prograin device. 4. The combination with a washing machine having hot and cold water inlet valves, of a conoperated means for operating said cold water valve, electrically operated valves controlling the cluding the switches controlled by the program device.

2. The combination with a laundry machine having hot and cold water valves, a dump valve and means for delivering various supplies to the machine. of an electrical]; driven program device,

trol mechanism comprising a rotating program vdevice, means controlled by the rotation thereof for opening and closing said valves, manual means for opening said valves, holding means for maintaining said valves open, a water level responsive device for tripping said holding means at a predetermined water level, a manually operable latch for rendering said holding means inoperative during control of said inlet valves by said program device, a steam syphon for supplying soap to the machine, an electrically operated valve controllingdelivery of steam to said syphon, a

circuit for said electrically operated valve controlled by said program device, a second circuit for said electrically operated valve, and manually operated means for closing said second circuit, whereby with said latch released the delivery of the first suds to the machine may be manually controlled.

5. The combination according to claim 4 in-' 7 first mentioned water responsive means inoperative.

SEWALIJ M. HOlTEY. 

